The discovery was made during a routine trail and maintenance check. The employee charged with taking care of the area stumbled upon what appeared to be a mummified couple covered in what the has since been referred to as “clothes from the pre-war period.” So far investigators believe the couple was attempting to reach the nearby town of Bern on-foot using the glacier as a shortcut. At some point during the trip, the weather deteriorated rapidly and the couple became disoriented.

Since climate change began severely affecting the alps in the early 90’s, numerous bodies have popped up in areas that have also seen significant glacial retreat. Authorities are currently in the midst of identifying the two individuals.